Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease.
Parallel translations
- WEB Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop.
- KJV Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
- NKJV Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
- NASB Drive out the scoffer, and strife will leave, Even quarreling and dishonor will cease.
- NLT Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Drive out the mocker and strife, quarrels, and insults will cease. It matters because removing the scoffer restores peace.
Overview
The scoffer is a source of contention, and his removal brings an end to conflict and abuse (Proverbs 26:20; Genesis 21:9-10). The verse shows that some strife is rooted in particular troublemakers. Wisdom acts to protect community peace by not tolerating persistent, divisive mockery.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 1 Cor 5:13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
- Prov 26:20–21Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.
- 1 Cor 5:5–6hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.
- Matt 18:17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
- Gen 21:9–10But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son,
- Prov 21:24Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—of him who acts with excessive pride.
- Ps 101:5Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not endure.
- Prov 18:6A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.
- Neh 13:28Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him away from me.
- Neh 4:1–3Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 22:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.